There are quite a few different types of Go Pro cameras available. The differences between them can be confusing. I will try to show a comparison between the most popular models…
- HD HERO 2 Professional
- HD Hero Original
- HD Hero 960
The first thing to bear in mind is that you can buy them in different configurations… Outdoors, Helmet, Motorsports, Surf and Naked. The differences are to do with the types of mounts or camera attachments which are included in the package. Depending on the type of sports you are thinking of using the Go Pro for, there should be a configuration which includes the most suitable mounts. If not, then you can buy the ‘naked’ version which just includes a basic mount, then you can buy specific mounts seperately.
The HD Hero 2 professional, the HD Hero Original and the HD Hero 960 all share some things in common…
- They all use the same waterproof housing or enclosure
- They all use the same rechargeable lithium ion battery – which lasts approximately 2.5 hours when fully charged (using a USB lead)
- They all share the same mounting attachment
However, that is where the similarity ends, they are all different in terms of the following…
- Price
- Performance
- Specification
- Connectivity
The main differences of the newer HD Hero 2 (compared to the original HD Hero)….
- Can take higher (8 and 11 mega pixel) still photos
- Has a supposedly better quality lens
- Has better low light performance
- Has more LEDs, so you can see from different angles that it is recording (they flash)
- Has a better burst mode (can take 10 photos in one second rather than 3)
- A new time lapse mode, which takes still pictures every 0.5 seconds
- Has a mini HDMI output and a microphone output
- Has better support for different fields of view (127 and 90 degree viewing angles are supported in a few different resolutions)
- Has a better LCD display – a bit easier to understand which mode you are in etc
- A new 120 frames per second WVGA (848×480) ultra slow motion mode
The main differences between the original HD Hero and the HD Hero 960 are…
- 960 has no one button record option
- 960 does not support 1080 video resolution
- 960 does not have the HD Hero bus interface on the back of the camera – so it cannot support optional accessories such as the battery pack or the LCD screen or the wi-fi remote control.
This all has to be weighed up against the relative prices of the 3 different units. Try to work out what features you really need rather than those you like (easier said than done !).